I just wanted to post this up to wish you guys on Texas coast good luck in dealing with Ike. Take it from me (an amateur meterologist), dont underestimate this storm. I wont post endless brainy blather in this forum (like in various weather forums) since it's not really on-topic. But I will direct you to a well-respected weather blog and quote from it.

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/Jef...&tstamp=200809

"What should Texas residents do?
We must assume Ike will intensify to a Category 3 hurricane by landfall, which would likely do $20-$30 billion in damage. Ike's storm surge is going to be affect a huge area and be tremendously destructive. The latest Hurricane Local Statement from the Galveston National Weather Service office puts things in pretty stark perspective:

All neighborhoods... and possibly entire coastal communities... will be inundated during high tide. Persons not heeding evacuation orders in single family one or two story homes will face certain death. Many residences of average construction directly on the coast will be destroyed. Widespread and devastating personal property damage is likely elsewhere. Vehicles left behind will likely be swept away. Numerous roads will be swamped... some may be washed away by the water. Entire flood prone coastal communities will be cutoff. Water levels may exceed 9 feet for more than a mile inland. Coastal residents in multi-story facilities risk being cutoff. Conditions will be worsened by battering waves. Such waves will exacerbate property damage... with massive destruction of homes... including those of block construction. Damage from beach erosion could take years to repair."

If you'd like another interesting website to follow: visit us at www.hurricanecity.com (many of my posts are there)

Please please please dont risk your lives with this one. If you live anywhere near ANY kind of water either on the ocean or near the southern Houston bay area. Get out. At the very least grab a hotel or stay at a friend's house inland... ideally, at least 15 miles from the shoreline.

If you live near downtown Houston proper I'd simply recommend riding it out, however if you have a reliable long-term place to stay far away then evacuation may be better. Especially where elderly and children are concerned. Need to take that family vacation? Do it now. Odds are a few million people in the greater Houston area will likely be without power for months on end. (no exaggeration here) Expect most of the highrises to be missing windows and the wind damage in the downtown area to be pretty severe, aside from the normal wind damage received in lower slung structures.

In closing, please post here and let us know how you're doing during/after the storm. Finding i-net will probably be tough, but give it a shot.

/babbling over